Wave of the future - Food Courts

[DVC-Landbaron]

I snatched this from another site. I was wondering what you think about it. I spoke with a CM in CRO today who told me that they totally revamped the Food Court in the French Quarter for the reopening today. She did not mention if the menu was different but that it's now set up just the The Pepper Market Food Court at Coronado Springs . For those not familiar, here's how it works- As you enter, each member of your party is given a stamp card. As you make your selections, the card is marked to make note of each item. You pay for the entire meal at the conclusion (which my family thinks is cool, because it means that each member of the group can make their own individual choices -- without having to pay for their meals separately.) The only thing I don't like about this system is the automatic gratuity added to the bill (10% if I remember correctly). I gather from what this CM told me is that this is the wave of the future of Disney food courts at the resorts, that eventually they will all have this same set-up. I wonder if it's true. She seemed pretty sure of it. I guess we'll see. I was at the food court in Coronado Springs just once, when it first opened, and was not overly impressed (although my parents LOVE it). So, fill me in. Good, bad, indifferent? Is this the wave of the future?

[HB2K]

My only food court experince was at the All Stars. I thought it was functionally decent...and to be honest, it's the only place we're eating on our next trip (other than a Fantasmic Dinner). It's the exact same food, minus the plates and service (which I hate anyway). But it's about 20-30% cheaper!

I'm not crazy about the built in gratuity though....I thought that was the point of the food court, you take care of it yourself...no need for a gratuity.

[CM Tinkerbell]

Most people I've seen discuss the CSR Food Court, have not done so favorably. Most people strongly object to the 10% gratuity. I'm in the minority of people who actually like the food court at CSR. I thought they offered a bit more of a selection then other food courts I've tried at Disney. The 10% gratuity comes into play because once you are seated, a server will take your drink order and will bring and refill drinks for you, also clear plates and such. I have no problem with the 10% as when ever we choose to eat at this type of establishment where you serve your own food, but have a server doing those things mentioned above, we always tip 10% for these services. I'm very interested in seeing what they've done with the FQ Food Court. We ate there on one of our more recent trips. At the time we thought it was okay.

I have no problem with them changing to the CSR type of food court, but I can guarantee that there will be many people upset by this.

[manning]

I have eaten at Old Country Buffet and had drinks served and the table cleared. Wasn't required to leave a gratuity, they got one. Also been to sit downs were a gratuity was added and the service was lousy. Asked that the gratuity be taken off and it was. One place resisted and I just told them if you wanted us to come back, just do two things. take the gratuity off and improve the service. I guess they did neither. They were out of business shortly thereafter.

This idea that a gratuity is required grates. The staff should be aware of the reward of good service. Sure some will stiff you but the vast majority will be fair, even generous. I'm talking about small parties (under 8).

Got a kick out of this one. Was at a high price restaurant once and the two tables next to us were getting lousy service. they both got up to leave about the same time. The waiter comes back and loudy tells the customer that a one dollar tip was inappropriate and it appears he needed it more and handed it back. The customer agreed and said your right and will give you two dollars. The man at the other table picked up on this and got up to leave and loudy said "good, Uncle Bob is leaving the tip, I don't have to". Never saw management move so fast!

[Testtrack321]

Originally posted by HB2K
My only food court experince was at the All Stars. I thought it was functionally decent...and to be honest, it's the only place we're eating on our next trip (other than a Fantasmic Dinner). It's the exact same food, minus the plates and service (which I hate anyway). But it's about 20-30% cheaper!

I'm not crazy about the built in gratuity though....I thought that was the point of the food court, you take care of it yourself...no need for a gratuity.

I agree, All-Stars had a good layout. Same as the AKL food court. You walk into a certin line (one for each type of choice, like say, pizza and pasta, or burgers and sandwhiches). Then the CM with a iPaq enters your info and tells you a word to listen for that relates to the hotel your staying at (All Star Movies had Steamboat Willie, Fanstasia, and me, Aristocats). This system worked maricles for our team because it let us chose different things for different people. The principal could get the burger, me, the chicken sandwhich, and my friends, chicken fingers (ahaha, those are soooo good).

I think the 10% gradituity is just a cheep shot at us from Disney. It won't go to CM wages, just E$iner'$ (co-venture with Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Company) walet.

[Micca]

Although it's not my idea of a great dining experience, I've been to the CSR food court twice. It was ok, and we were in/out fairly quickly(which was a good thing). My understanding is that a 10% tip is appropriate at a buffet so I'm ok with that.

[Lesley]

My thoughts on the CSR food court...
There was a great variety and the food was good.

Problem is, if you want things from multiple stations its going to take you forever to get them because at every station you have to wait in line....to order, then to get your card stamped, then to get your food. Just seemed incredibly time consuming when I had to get things from 3-4 different areas (dh stayed at the table to keep ds occupied...) I felt like I was waitressing for my family and it almost felt insulting to have someone else getting our drinks for us after doing all the rest of the work. Where was my 10% tip?

I really don't know why it seemed to take more time than a regular food court...perhaps just that I always ended up waiting to get that darned card stamped. I could have just paid and not had to wait in a line on the way out too.

My biggest suggestion is that for breakfast at CSR...skip the Pepper Market and head to the Maya Grill. Excellent buffet. Don't know if a similar strategy will work at POFQ though....

[Bob O]

I have never been to a food court at wdw. I like the concept at times because sometimes we cant all agree on what we want to eat and usually everybody in the family can find something they like. The only thing similiar to a food court i have been too at wdw was the at Land building!!
But the idea of a forced 10% gratuity is total BS!!!!! The gratuity is supposed to be for excellant service and not just part of your meal unless you have a large group(which is also wrong as it almost guarantee's bad service). This is disneys way of forcing the customer to increase the pay scale of the employee's without disney paying for it. Just show's disney has no end of idea's to flleece their guests pocketbooks!!! I'll gladly stand in my own lines and do my own work rather than pay the extra money!!

[Kermit]

I seem to recall that when PO-FQ first opened, the food court was something like that already, except there was no gratuity and you got your own drinks. But there were lots of different stations, and you paid at one central point after everyone in your party got their food. Last time when we went I was disappointed that they had changed the system. I like being able to look at food before I order. It seems like they could keep expenses down if they chose something and stuck to it instead of remodeling every few years.

[daannzzz]

I have enjoyed all my visits to the Pepper Market ( though the stir fry was a bit bland) and have driven over just to have lunch there. I agree that there seems to be a bit more variety here. The idea that you can go from station to station is a bit much though. The portions are big so you generally will just go to one place. The prices are to high for this kind of thing as well. Its not like you can go get a slice of pizza for $1.50 and a small burger for $2.00 and a salad for $2.25. The wet burrito is excelent but very big and $7.95. The do seat you and provide real silverwear and glas or ceramic dishes. The wait staff is suppose to refill your drink but that has only happened once for me. Not a big deal.
The 10% gratuity seems wierd to me. Why not just at a bit to the price of the food? In any case, when the trip is costing me $2000.00 in the first place whats another $1.50!!! ;)

[Another Voice]

This seems to be another example of the “scatter serve” concept that has been employed at the major new food facilities at Disneyland and California Adventure. In theory it is supposed to allow for faster service, greater choice and lowered labor costs. But its success has been rather sporadic in Anaheim. Then again practical experience doesn’t seem to count much in MBA-land.

I can’t remember if the charge at the Pepper Market is official called a “gratuity” or simply a “service charge”. This restaurant is not wholly Disney-owned and has a rather complex financial set-up; that’s the reason for all that paper stamping. A true gratuity would mainly go to the wait staff, but a service charge would mostly go to Disney as “landlord” of the area.

[Bstanley]

This restaurant is not wholly Disney-owned and has a rather complex financial set-up

AV a question - who operates the restaurants at AKL?

Also a more generic question - are a lot of the restaurants at WDW resorts operated by a single Third Party entity? Or are there a number of Third Parties?

[All Aboard]

The All Stars and Dixie Landings (it's a Joe Robbie thing) have the optimal food court set up (imo.) Gather up what you want from the various stations and pay for it all at once.

Dislike CBR's set up because you wind up paying several times if members of your party want different cuisines.

Dislike CSR's as documented by others above.

Dislike former PO's because you had to order from the checkout and pay first. I don't know about you, but I wander from stand to stand until I decide what I want.

Would rather PO just switch to DxL style.

I'm one of the folks that raised a stink about the "service" charge at CSR and got it taken off the bill. Really disliked that concept.

[daannzzz]

The Scatter service seems to work okay at the Plaza Inn at Disneyland although it is a madhouse when they first open the doors.
The scatter service at Rancho del Zocolo is pretty bad though. No one knows what to do or where to go. The lines back up in an odd way and crowd the door and then paying for your food takes so long it is cold by the time you sit down.

[roymccoy]

Disney is really becoming king of the scam! I gotta take my hat off to them, they really work hard at the fleecing of us guests. 10% gratuity ?? For what?? Clearing the dishes? Oh, the meetings that must go on at Team Disney! If you could sit in on one you'd probably puke from all the greed. Let's see, we can:

1) Raise prices 10%
2) Include a 10% gratuity for nothing
3) Take away the 10% AP discount.

That's a 30% increase !!

You know, some people have big B _ _ _ S !

Gouge, gouge, gouge.

Pretty soon, drinks will be $5.00 and a hamburger will be $15. Oh, and they'll be a 20% gratuity added on for the garbage sweepers. Give me a break!

Just terrible!


Roy


P.S. Con-artists and grifters will wipe away a tear of respect when they hear about this!

[redpants]

The Pepper Market is a THIRD PARTY restaurant, so the whole 10% gratutity thing has nothing to do with Disney!

[Another Voice]

I’m sorry Mr. Bstanley, but who runs the Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants stumps me. In general, Disney likes to run the restaurants in the resorts (one of the reasons why the Pepper Market deal was noteworthy at the time), but business models seem to change monthly these days so things may have changed. And who’s running what also changes I’ll see if I can do some digging.

In general, outside ownership is usually a one-off deal. The Levie (sp?) Brothers chain used to run a couple, but I think they’ve dropped out. Most of the deals at Epcot are for a single location. Again, this isn’t an area I’ve been keeping up on.

[redpants]

I beleive that with the exception of the RainForest Cafe, all of the AK restaurants are Disney-owned/managed.

[Bstanley]

Not a problem sir - I wasn't planning on making a bid :-)

I have managed to eat at some pretty notable restaurants from Tokyo to Berlin (on the company's money :-) and frankly the restaurants at AKL are on a par with the best of them.

If they were being operated by a company that had other restaurants at WDW I was definitely going to check the other places out as well!

[DisDuck]

Has anyone here who is complaining about the 10% eaten at a Chinese Buffet Place or Old Country (one person did mention it) or Pasta Buffet places, etc. Do you leave a gratuity everytime or just once in a while or not at all? Also, have any of you gone to London and eaten in any kind of restaurant and looked closely at the bill for the inserted gratuity charge?

It seems that since this is happening at Disney that it is either gouging or a scam but nowhere else. If like some have done ask for it to be removed and leave your own gratuity (or none at all). It seems that the US is the primary country where gratuities are not included on the bill as the usual procedure. That is why most tour books for those coming here have sections on tipping habits.

[All Aboard]

Duck, most food courts at WDW have no "service" for which a charge needs to be added.

You walk up to the counter, get what you want, pay for it, find a seat, eat and discard your trash (think, Cosmic Ray's).

I like that model, it works well for me. At Pepper Market, someone basically carries your tray to your table and checks periodically if you need drinks. I can't think of anything else they do. With u-fill-em drink dispensors, the latter service is not required.

At Dxl, PO or CBR if you want to grab a quick sandwich and carry it back to your room, it's a pretty easy task. Not at CSR. It sounds like PO might be changing to more effort intensive model. It may work well for conventioneers, but I doubt well for families who are eating at a food court for time savings, $ savings, and efficiency.

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by Another Voice
In general, outside ownership is usually a one-off deal. The Levie (sp?) Brothers chain used to run a couple, but I think they’ve dropped out. Most of the deals at Epcot are for a single location. Again, this isn’t an area I’ve been keeping up on.
When Pleasure Island opened, Levy Restuarants (http://www.levyrestaurants.com/) opened the Portabello Yacht Club, Fulton's Crab House (replacing the Empress Lilly), and the Fireworks Factory. The Fireworks Factory became the Wildhorse Saloon, also managed by Levy Restaurants. Now former the Wildhorse Saloon is Motion, which doesn't involve Levy. But Levy still has the Portabello Yacht Club and Fulton's Crab House at Pleasure Island. Levy has no other restaurants in Florida.

[roymccoy]

This isn't London, and it's a "food court"...not a restaurant. These are walk-up and grab your sandwich and drink places not sit down and wait for someone to take your order places. I think that they are having the employees come to your table and make "an appearance" so that they can get us to pay for some of their wages. What's next? Is Disney going to send around the "deaf guy" to lay Disney trinkets and stickers on your table and then come around later to pick up your money? Disney is really bordering on "scam" here, IMHO. There are certain lines that just shouldn't be crossed...no matter how greedy people are.


Roy

[DisDuck]

gcurling.. I have eaten at Pepper Market so I do know the routine. I was initially surprised to see the 10% since I would have left the same amount myself. Up in my kneck of the woods we have a Chinese buffet only restaurant. The only thing the server does is clear and refill drinks. Similar to Pepper. I leave a rounded 10% of the bill for that service provided. I think one of the etiquette books (Emily Post or something like it) recommends 10% for buffet service and 15-20% for full service.

It seems that adding the 10% on the bill equalizes tips for all servers at Pepper regardless of how many customers each gets. That is assuming they get the 10%. Does anyone have definitive information on whether the servers get this money or all of it goes directly to the restaurant.

The added charge might also be because CSR get primarily convention business.

[All Aboard]

The added charge might also be because CSR get primarily convention business. I think that's one of the keys here (who cares when its reimbursable.) If they plan on doing the same thing at PO, it won't be well received at all. Especially by those making return visits to Sassagoula.

The DxL / All Stars model works perfectly in my opinion.

[Bstanley]

Another vote for the DxL food court. I always felt it was the best food court at WDW until I ate at The Mara at AKL. Now I have two divisions of food court so the two of them can share the title. The Mara is a bit more expensive, but is a bit 'upscale' in it's choices while the DxL food court is less expensive and offers more middle of the road fare.

CSR had good food, but I found it confusing and the 10% service charge just smacked of a hidden cost so it annoyed me.

[lrodk]

I used this system the first year Coronado Springs opened. I had been accustomed to using the foods courts at Dixie, Port Orleans and Carribean Beach for many years. I liked the fact that a visit to these food courts was always quick and easy and relatively hassle free. In my experience I found that the new system at Coronado Springs took away a little bit of everything that i enjoyed about the experience.

For those who haven't been there, the dining area in Coronado is closed in. There is a narrow entrance where you meet a CM, who then escorts you to your table. The exit is in the dining area just behind the cash registers, sort of like a toll booth. One way in and one way out(nothing at all like a typical restaurant). You then wait for your server who'll take your beverage order. After giving each member in your group a card you're then free to go off and order your meals.

Let me say that the extra time spent waiting at our table to meet our server was a waste of time. In the time it took for that to happen I could have had my food in place at the table and we would have been eating. Basically, you're paying an extra 10% gratuity just for the server to bring you your drinks and give you your cards, even though you still have to carry your own orders back to the table.

The other thing that bugged me related to the card system itself. At first glance it seems very convenient to be able to give out the cards to each member in your party and let everyone get what they wanted. But after trying it I quickly noticed that it kind of got in the way. You cannot place an order without showing the server your card. If you have a couple of items in hand and all of a sudden have to dig out the card, there is an adjustment to be made. And if you're ordering something for someone else in your party, you need to make sure he/she is there with you to show their card, otherwise the order cannot be placed. And then you need to check the cards to make sure the correct item(s) was punched. Who is going to supervise the kids when they wander off on their own. What if they lose their card(I'll get to that later)?

Once we were all seated I needed to collect all of the cards to make sure everything was in order, and I also wanted to try and figure out what everything was going to cost( In the old system you'd basically know because you were ordering for everyone all at once and paying for it before you're seated). One thing that we were warned about from the start was that we were accountable for each card in our party. If we were to lose one we would have to pay a "standard meal fee"(whatever the heck that is).

At the conclusion of our meal I took our cards and waited on line at one of the registers stationed at the exit of the dining area. When it was all said and done I ended up spending 10% more on gratuity than I normally would have, and noticed that the items on the menu were more expensive than the the food court fare that i had been accustomed to before. And I suppose that amidst the confusion and new-found freedom that everyone enjoyed with their cards, everyone seemed to order more than we normally would have. And the typical 30 minute quick bite approach to our food court visits suddenly became an hour-long ordeal.

We had just arrived from the airport and had just check in.........I DID NOT NEED THIS KIND OF PRESSURE. I was tired and hungry and wanted a quick bite, yet everything that i loved about the Food Courts seemed to have dissappeared. If I wanted a sit-down experience I would have eaten at one of the full service restaurants. You do not have that choice at CSs, and apparantly, if the rumor is true, Port Orleans too.

These moves are quite simply profit oriented, no question about it. The system was not broken. They simply decided to squeeze a little more $$ out of it. I sincerely hope that Disney does not overhaul the Food Courts at the rest of the moderates. It really left little to be desired in my experience.

[Lesley]

lrodk,
your experience seems very similar to mine, except by the time we visited (1999, not sure how long they were open at that point...) they handed you the card as you walked in and were seated. I think we did have a card for both of the adults, not sure if we had one for our son who was 4 at the time. As I mentioned before, I became the family waitress...and juggling everything plus the cards, etc...was a real pain!

I totally disagree with daaaannnzzz (sorry if there ar extra letters there...) about stoping at multiple stations. If you want a balanced meal you almost have to stop at a few spots. Just try getting a salad, soup and fruit. Expensive, yes. One morning I recall waiting several minutes to get a card stamped for a banana!

We walked into the Riverside food court one day intending to get breakfast...unfortunately there really weren't any stations open, just some stale pastries in a case! Very disappointing, I think we hit it at an off time or something....but it was just weird because everything seemed to be closed.